When the front-wheel-drive 155 was released in the early 90s it was met with mixed reviews, with most critics lamenting the demise of the famed Alfa Romeo transaxle.
It may not have been all that popular as a road car, but it quickly got homologated for touring car racing and went on to become one of the brands’ most successful racing cars. The 155 touring cars would go on to win the old German DTM series, the Italian Superturismo Championship and the coveted British Touring Car Championship all in the space of three years. It is to say the least, a very special car and has a special place in the hearts of all Alfista around the world which naturally puts them in a fairly heady price bracket.
The Glorious V6 Engine
Although they toyed with the idea of running with the turbo 4 from the Lancia Delta, going as far as making a prototype it was ultimately ditched in favor of the V6.
Few engines sound as good as Alfa Romeo V6 engines, to the extent that they just seem to make their own unique sound. In race trim, they would rev all the way up to 12,000 rpm and make as much as 490 naturally aspirated horsepower. In many ways this is a silhouette race car as it is just so very different to the actual road-going cars, the engine itself is even mounted longitudinally so they could run an all-wheel-drive system as opposed to the transverse-mounted front-drive road car.
Historical Racing Opportunity
Making just shy of 500 horsepower the car is an absolute beast, although it would be unwise to leave the car in this high level of tune as the repair and running costs would quickly add up.
The car has an ultra-lightweight carbon fiber body that keeps the entire weight of the car down to under 2,300 pounds. Depending on your choice of final drive the car will also top out between 160 and 190 mph. So it will certainly be competitive but running costs will certainly make you think twice and most collectors will see it as a trophy as opposed to something they would want to win trophies with.
It's A Big Investment
The car in question sold for $950,000 and would make any mere mortal shudder at the thought, but this is a piece of racing history so it is in some ways understandable. If you are keen to own something similar, the car Gabriele Tarquini raced to victory in the BTCC is still up for sale. It is arguably more historically significant because the man himself still owns the car, having bought it after it got replaced by the 156 all over the world. Expect to pay a similar fortune for this fan favorite.